As I’ve haphazardly whispered* before, I am not the world’s biggest romance fan. Romance is okay? But seriously what is with all this lovey-dovey splodging around when one could FIGHT DRAGONS or become a PASTRY PIRATE or even, perhaps, RULE THE WORLD. #priorities

But, as it happens, most YA books** involve romance. Ergo I read muchly of it. Ergo it has come to my attention that there are types of it I like a lot more than others. Ergo I have written out 8 Types of Romances and I’m ready to sit down with tea*** and scones and discuss them with you.

And then I have a quiz (!!) to see which type of romance you like best. Or you could just tell me in the comments. I’m magnanimously flexible.

I’m also linking up with Top Ten Tuesday despite not having ten things on my list this week. BUT WHAT ARE RULES FOR? PFFT. The theme is Valentine’s Day Freebie!

* “Whispered” is a word here which means “yelled copiously because why say something once when you can forget you said it and then repeat it nine million times”.
** Although I wrote a post about YA books which do NOT include romance if you are so interested.
*** Also, proud moment here, but I discovered there is a tea I like. CUE APPLAUSE. (I am an avid tea hater.) But chai tea is not only tolerable, it is delicious. I would like to congratulate chai tea on its existence.

(Also I wish to note that there are MORE than 8 types of YA romances. Obviously. I’m using 8 because a) the Playbuzz quizzes only allow 8 answers, darn them, and b) I wore out at least twelve braincells trying to come up with 8 as is. Romance analysation is not my forte. Ugh.)

1. ALL ABOARD THE H.M.S. FRIENDSHIP

That moment when friends realise broship isn’t enough and they must have more. This kind of romance usually involves a) much angst and shrieks of “WHAT IF THEY ONLY LIKE ME AS A FRIEND?!?!” and b) much existential complications because of changing dynamics.

My Level Of Shippability: I’LL SAIL THIS ONE TILL DAWN, THANKS. I like it when relationships start as friendships first… because it seems like it’ll last.

2. THE LOVE TRIANGLE (OR SQUARE OR DODECAHEDRON EVEN)

Love triangles are notorious for being hated but…THEY CAN BE GOOD!! If both sides of the pursuers are interesting, dynamic characters then it actually can work. And it’s a good way to make a romance complex and fraught with decision. OH THE DECISION.

My Level Of Shippability: Mostly I hate it?! It barely works for me because I always find it’s obvious who the person will pick due to subpar writing. And then if the person picks the WRONG CHARACTER…uguguugh. It ruins the book. (That saying, I love The Hunger Games and Splintered triangles. I DO.)

3. THE VOYAGE OF LOVE/HATE

When two characters have so much friction between them that it’s all they can do not to stab the other’s eye out with a spork? BUT SECRETLY THEY LIKE EACH OTHER? Or else they grow to like each other??? This = my favourite of ever.

My Level Of Shippability: You see those books I’ve listed?! They’ve basically all got 5-stars from me. I KNOW. I HAVE A LITTLE LOVE OF THIS ONE. I will shippy ship the hate/lovers till dawn.

4. THE FORBIDDEN LOVEBIRDS

Usually “forbidden” conjures a Romeo-Juliet style romance, where your family is threatening to kindly gut you if you fall for the enemy. BUT! “Forbidden” can also be a thing standing in the way. Something that just always seems to stop the two from getting together omg.

My Level Of Shippability: VERY, because we humans are very cantankerous and like the opposite of what we’re allowed. So if you say “you cannot have the thing”, humans want the thing. Usually I end up rooting for them to overcome the annoying little obstacle. (Like in The Raven Boys’ case, Blue will kill her true love if she kisses him. Whatever. Kiss him. DEATH IS A MINOR DETAIL.)

5. THE INSTANT ROMANTIC SOUP

Mostly when you see the phrase “insta love” you run away screaming, right? WELL MOSTLY ME TOO. But! I will say that “instalove” doesn’t have to be horribly cliche and an excuse to skip relationship building. Because a) it’s actually realistic omg don’t remind me of my 12 year old friends right now… and b) if it’s done right then I’m all aboard. For instance: if the characters see each other and there’s instalove but then they develop a friendship — I’m good with that! But confessing they’ll DIE FOR EACH OTHER within 30 seconds of meeting? Nooope.

My Level Of Shippability: Like I said, done right = Cait is a happy sailor. But if it’s done to cut the character development and get onto the smushy sessions? I say no thank you and burn the ships and cackle like a psychotic pyromaniac.

6. THE OBSESSIVE SUBMARINE PURSUIT

You know those romances where one side seems to obsessively want the other side? Cue the paranormal boys who will stalk their OTP to the end of the universe. (Sometimes they’re not so submarine subtle, but I guess they like to think they are??) Often they’ll pursue the other no matter the cost. And once they get together — they are like GLUE.

My Level Of Shippability: I have to admit…it’s not my favourite? People need space, dudes. Back off a little. I also don’t like it when someone says “NO” and the other person says “YES”, and it ends up pursuits and boundaries issues. BUT! At the same time it is nice when a person will stop at nothing to rescue their darling.

7. THE UNREQUITED ROW BOAT OF LOVE

I think unrequited love has the potential to be a) insufferably adorable as one human chases another despite their best attempts to flee the country, or b) it’s insufferably annoying because the chaser is CLEARLY an idiot to throw themselves at someone who keeps turning up their nose. Nunnnngh.

My Level Of Shippability: I sometimes ship it? I do like a good chase…who doesn’t? I mean, the kind of chase I love most is pirates chasing treasure or dragons chasing a tasty human snack or whatnot, but humans chasing their One True Love is also acceptably amusing.

8. THE SHIP OF DENIAL

That moment when two characters adamantly REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY LIKE EACH OTHER? And all the reader can do is go, “Haha, you shrimps, you’re gonna fall in love.” Then they do. Because, pfft to denial.

My Level Of Shippability: It can be intensely irritating, for me, because it’s OBVIOUS they’re going to fall in love by the end of the book. But while it’s not my favourite, it’s not horrible or anything. I valiantly allow it.

(I have just about 3% of faith in this quiz I’ve made. I FORGET HOW TO MAKE GOOD QUIZZES. My bad.)

SO. what IS your favourite kind of YA romance?! (and which ones do you loathe?!) how did the quiz go?!? way off or kind or right?! and tell me some types of romance I forgot! GO WILD IN THE COMMENTS, YOUNG PINEAPPLES.

Comments

I’m gonna be honest here Cait I was NOT IMPRESSED with the quiz. Like, I haven’t read ANY John Green before?!?!? And Mulan was not an option for Disney?!?!?!? And you grouped Dystopian with Sci-Fi instead of Fantasy when MY FAVOURITE ARE DYSTOPIAN AND FANTASY?!?!?! OMG. Cait. Don’t. Please. I went and commented on Dead Boy this morning and everything and you torment me with impossible choices.

Kidding, kidding. 😉 I thought this was a lovely post! I apparently like forbidden romances the most, but I honestly don’t know. I do enjoy friends > lovers and hate > love though! (Now I kinda want to redo the character/villain chain and write a post about favourite ways to SINK a ship. Mwahahaha.)

COME NOW, MISS BARNACLE ON MY GREAT POST IDEAS. XD😂 And I shall tell you my favourite way to sink a ship right up front: DEATH. *cackles evilly* (That is not at all obvious with Dead Boy, now is it? :’)

Omgggg, but this quiz was HARD. I literally died making it. I have no idea if it’ll be accurate for anyone at this point.

HAHA the quiz said I’m a fan of unrequited love :’) But I’m a big fan of the ship of denial, actually. As long as the characters aren’t TOO dumb. Then again, you know how I’m always going on about how there needs to be less romance, lol.

(she says as she’s preparing to rewrite a romance after Wanderland…it’s my only romance ever though)

For someone so opposed to romance, Cait, you’ve hit the nail on the head with these :’)

I will forever go down with the ship that allows lots and lots of banter, which is usually the love/hate relationship. I’m also fond of being friends before dating. I just like friendships and relationships that allow you to insult each other? If I call you names, it means I like you.

YES ME TOO. They are far far too wonderful…and somehow I always ship the sassy ones?!? FRIENDSHIP THOUGH. <3 Plus I feel like they'll stick around longer? If they already know each other's weirdness because they were friends first. Also namecalling is totally a sign of liking. *nods* I'm only polite to people I don't like. #logic

1. Friendship to love. Not really that much. But I love ships that have solid foundations.
2, Love triangles. What’s the point? Why string two behind you and possibly others? Except you, Blue, of course, and your Raven Boys.
3. & 8. Because sometimes these two go together. I would be shouting at them and shaking fists at a piece of put-together dead pieces of trees. The tension!
4. The amount of angst that this type of ship can generate. I can’t even.
5. I agree with you – if it is done right then I am all aboard. Instant connection but please take it slow and actually get to know each other. Grow together.
6. Why would you go for someone who clearly doesn’t want you?

Blue and her Raven boys are exempt from EVERYTHING because clearly they are all perfect little beans and must be kept precious and not harmed. <3 *hugs them and cries because they're probably all going to die*
AHEM.
Thanks for taking the quiz!! 😀

I got unrequited rowboat, but I think I am more of a love/hate liker. And what was that John Green question about? It should have had a ‘none” answer, ha ha! I have only read one of his books and I didn’t like it much. I prefer NO ROMANCE in my old age. I am like the Love Scrooge. I did like it in my younger years, but more in the classic vein like Romeo and Juliet, and Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. Great post. I was wondering what I was going to do for my Top Five Friday, so thanks for sparking the idea to do classic love stories!

I for one am sick of romance as a major part of every single YA book I read, but great post! I got the unrequited love one on the quiz, but in fact my favourite romance type of all time ever is the voyage of love/hate. Rivals-type relationships are the BEST. In my humble opinion.

I LOVE ALL THE ROMANCES, except insta-love, i hate it. But what can I say I am a huge romantic and I ship all the characters! hhahaha. Although I must say I really do enjoy a good unrequited love story if it’s done right. BUt also the friends-lovers and also the hate/love…..okaay okayy, I love everything, lets be honest here. But I do still love a ton of action! 😀

I totally agree. Like, I’ve been instantly attracted to someone. THAT’S realistic. Even quick FRIENDSHIP is okay. But instantly declaring your LOVE AND DEVOTION AND I’LL DIE FOR YOU MY PRECIOUS TRUE LOVE is not my thing.

HOW, you are GOOD at quizzes, because I got FRIENDSHIP, and it’s my favorite of ALL kinds <3 I don't even know what else to comment, because everything you wrote is just so ACCURATE that I have no words. Perfect post Cait! 😀

I got ‘The Forbidden Love Birds’. Um, yes and then but no? I am a shipper of ALL THE THINGS, and any of my friends will tell you that I am the crazy fangirl who sees one minor hand brush and screams, “YOU CAN’T HAVE SUBTEXT WITHOUT SEX! IT’S A SHIP!” Hahaha, but seriously. I’m less of a forbidden girl, though, I tend to fall for the love-hate ones. All the feels go to those delightfully vicious romances! Bad boys always get my attention, tbh, and that’s the kind of relationship they tend to fall into. 😀 BUT THANK YOU FOR THIS AMAZINGTASTIC GUIDE.

So apparently I like Forbidden Love the most, which I guess is kind of right (also hate/love though!), so good job you and your quiz! I think I’m pretty tolerant with romance in books and I usually don’t mind which kind it is, it just has to be done well. The only thing I really can’t stand is 15 year olds falling in love for the first time and talking about how they can’t live without the other person after knowing them for about 3 seconds.

You know what I’d like to see done well in a book once? Break-ups. I mean it would probably break my heart because I’m the kind of person who ships everything and gets way too invested in their ships, but still. No matter how much I love seeing teenagers find their one true love, their soulmate, blah blah, it is very unrealistic. People break up, and sometimes relationships don’t work out, right? I realize I’m not very much in the Valentine’s Day spirit here, oops. But I feel like I’ve never even read about a break-up before.

AHH THANK YOU, KARIN. 😂 So we’ll go for a half-win for you then?! hehe It was a hard quiz to make for some reason. And OMG YES to those 15yo falling in love and “dying without each other”. -_- I’m just old and cranky probably, but that doesn’t work for me. Ever. Ahem.

BAHAH YOU’RE WONDERFUL. 😂 Actually I read a lot of breakups?! I’d give you some recommendations but then I’m worried that’d kind of spoil the book because usually the breakups are at the end.

I love bickering couples of ones who are just outright mortal enemies at the start. My drama mongering heart lives for this. Even better if they stab each other a couple of times before they realise they’re in love! *nods* Yes, I am sorta depraved, but I highly recommend Truthwitch if you want to board such ships 😉

I have never seen a blogger who actually enjoyed love triangles, which makes me wonder why publishers still demand such an element in books – WHO is buying them, and WHO is making these decisions XD

I love this post! I hate love trianlges with a passion, they just annoying the crap out of me and I just can’t because just girl choice already and most of the time it’s unrealsitc.
An other time of romance I am all good for. Expect instalove – cause you know :/. It’s been like two days and they are already all over each other :/
haha

Agh, I totally get frustrated with them too!! I’m not SURE if they’re unrealistic or not?? Like I know tons of people who’ve liked the same guy but I don’t think he’s liked them both back.😂 AHEM. SO YEAH. I find it mostly frustrating and too easy to tell which way they’ll go.

I’m not really a big romance person either. If it’s not a sub-plot, a book will get burnt. I even have a Goodreads shelf called Ruined By The Romance. 😉

I got the voyage of love and hate (which is totally true – I love that so much 🙂 ) but I also like relationships that start out as friendship. I absolutely hate overly obsessive relationships, insta-love annoys me (though I SOMETIMES tolerate it), and forbidden love is a bit iffy too, though I love it when it’s done right.

I got friends-to-ship, which I *do* like so your quiz skills aren’t ship wrecked like you think they might be. SEE WHAT I DID THERE?! I also like the forbidden trope, but not to the degree of Romeo/Juliet dramatics. I have a very important question for you, Cait: were the photos on the quiz yours? If so, what was that delicious cake thingy? I MUST KNOW MORE.

SHIP WRECKED> *snorts* OKAY YOU WIN. YOU ARE AWESOME. I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE. Ahem.

YES! All those photos were mine and that delicious cake was a chocolate brownie cheesecake which is only THE best cake in the history of ever and my favourite in all the galaxies. I’m not even being slightly dramatic here.

This is a really great post for the Valentines theme! I’m very much the sort of person who likes a lot of plot and the romance can be in the background. I’m not a fan of love triangles unless it becomes like a Brot3 or something. I suppose out of the types or romance you mentioned the ones I like the best (or dislike the least) are Love/Hate relationships and the ones that come from friendship.

I admit, I’m a sucker for numbers 4 and 3. And maybe sometimes number 8. SOMETIMES. MAYBE. Well, most of the time when the couple is in denial I just want to smack them in the head and throw them out the Truth Window. YOU OBVIOUSLY LOVE EACH OTHER. WHY NOT JUST CONFESS ALREADY.

Also, I DO NOT LIKE LOVE TRIANGLES. But that was in the quiz? Does that mean I secretly love them without me even knowing? I DON’T KNOW. But I shall trust your wisdom because you’re Cait, obviously.

First things first: the quiz told me my favorite is the forbidden love, which is kind of true, I guess? I mean, I do like it but I’m not sure if it’s my FAVORITE. I also like the denial, love/hate, SOME love triangles (only if they’re good, obviously) and the friendship before love … slow developed once are probably my favorite, no matter what type it actually is. I love the anticipation and that my head screams: “JUST KISS ALREADY!!!” (or such things) but generally speaking, I LOVE ME SOME GOOD ROMANCE! 😀

Oh good love-triangles are hard to find but when one does….YESSS THEY’RE GLORIOUS. And love/hate is forever my favourite. <3 We'll just say quiz fail then?!? hehe. 😛 I do love the ones where we get to sit there shrieking "KISS ALREADY". So shippable. <3

I took the quiz and turns out, I am a forbidden lovebirds kind of girl. That does surprise me. Don’t get me wrong, I love the forbidden love. But I also really love the friends turned romance thing. It was probably the whole cake question. Yeah, don’t tell me not to eat cake. Harsh.

Bahaha, quiz fail then.😂 Tbh, I’m not surprised the quiz is failing a bit…IT WAS HARD TO MAKE AND I’M NO ROMANCE GENIUS. omg. hehe. But yes the cake question was ridiculously obvious. I mean, who wouldn’t eat the cake?

I got Friendship, which is pretty accurate. I love those friendships that just work – like they’ve been friends for forever and then they either slowly realize that they like each other and work well together or Something Happens that causes them to evaluate their friendship. (Like my favorite JA ship – Emma/Knightley, Mac and Rose from Eight Cousins, {idk if it qualifies but} Olive/Todd from Easy A, and I can’t think of any more off the top of my head but they’re out there.)

However, I also really REALLY like the enemies-to-lovers trope – those romances where they start out as absolute enemies and “OH MY GOSH I HATE HIM/HER SO MUCH” and I just sit back and go, “Oh, man, you’re gonna love them so much.” For instance, Darcy/Lizzie and Baz/Simon (gosh, those two), and HELLO Anastasia/Dimitri. CANNOT GET ENOUGH.

Can’t really stand unrequited love because I hate characters pining after one another – esp. if it’s both of them and they’re just not telling one another – because I’m the kind of person who just wants to talk through things and when characters don’t do that I get IRKED. (I get irked about the obsessive relationships, too, esp. if one of the two says “I’m not interested at all and you’re creeping me out” and that makes the other just so much more clingy and I’m just like, “IMMA SHOOT YOU IN THE FACE – BACK. OFF.”)

I really haven’t seen a love triangle done well so I don’t know what my thoughts are about that… I personally think that in The Hunger Games, Katniss had already made her decision about loving Peeta instead of Gale in either the end of THG or the middle of CF (when he almost died), but was still confused. Then it was all just annoying Gale pining over Katniss and I’m just like, “Dude, she friendzoned you. Go away.”

Insta-love I’m kind of “meh” on – unless, like you said, it’s done the right way, and in that case, I’m all for it. (Great example of this is Lulu and Liam from The Little Women Letters. I didn’t like them the first time I read it, but I was shipping them like crazy the second and third time.) Same for the forbidden lovers – which, again, I’ve never really gotten into. Would Danielle and the prince from Ever After count?

I think there’s another kind of romance that I’d call “Oblivious Love” – when obviously they either work together really well or they just can’t see it, but either one or both are oblivious to the fact that the other is in love with them (or that they should totes be together). (This would probably be Todd and Olive from Easy A.) And then there’s the love that’s been there since the beginning that you totally ship from beginning to end (like both couples in Julie and Julia).

But omg Olive and Todd. <3 I adore them. hehe. But yes friendship is GOLDEN. And I always think it'll last? Like history makes things last *nods* And I hate closing a book and being seriously doubtful whether they'll stay together.

And I don't even really think Katniss EVER loved Gale? Like I think she was furious at the Capitol forcing her into marriage with Peeta (even though she liked him, it was that her will was taken away) and so that's why she suddenly "Loved" Gale? I think he always loved her, but YEAH. I don't think she ever properly loved him. I MEAN SHE HAD PTSD AND HE WAS "HOME" SO I GET IT. But forever Shipping her and Peeta. <3

And yup! Oblivious Love definitely is one too!! Kind of unrequited a bit, too, also?

You know, I don’t think she did, either. He was just her hunting friend/”cousin.” She had more history with Gale, so she thought that was grounds for loving him more than she loved Peeta, but she was with Peeta for the most important part of her life, so it’s obvious that they would end up together. (Plus I just can’t STAND Gale, so I initially rooted against him away.)

Haha, UNREQUITED LOVE 🙂 Yes, Imma Stiles + Lydia fan, so there. When I saw this in my inbox, I thought it said, “Favorite Type of YA Bromance”. Ahahaha, I can’t believe myself. Anyway, nice quiz! But my fave is really the Voyage of Love/Hate where neither is a jerk per se, but maybe they’re both stubborn naive idiots? 😀 Very nice post this is!

I am a Stydia shipper too.😂 Although I love Malia so I’M KINDA TORN. (Granted I haven’t seen the most recent season so I don’t know if that has changed, hehe.) AHEM. Omg but YES. I adore the love/hate, but I don’t like rudeness or jerkyness. Just good ol’ fashion witty banter and temper clashes. XD

Couples who hate each other but secretly like each other give me life. So much romantic/sexual tension, it’s delicious. And you get extra points for mentioning Blood Red Road because I ADORE Saba and Jack a ridiculous amount.

YESSSSSS. That is so totally my favourite too. Zomg you are a Blood Red Road fan?! FLAIL WITH ME, JESS!!! I feel like we’re alone in our love of that book sometimes. 😂😂 (Although did you read the last one? NOT HAPPY. AM SO NOT HAPPY. *cries*)

You are basically CAPTAIN of the ship when two characters are loving to hate each other. There’s so much friction and plenty of potential of someone getting their eye stabbed with a spork. BUT THEY DO SECRETLY THEY LIKE EACH OTHER. If there snark and sarcasm and sparks flying, it is TOTALLY your kind of romance.

And it’s CORRECT. I love it when characters fight. If they hate each other, even better. So much tension. I can’t handle it. I need to SHIP them like RIGHT NOW. Like Buffy and Spike. Hook and Emma from OUAT before they got all lovey-dovey. Damon and Elena (she hated him, but I prefer it when they both hate each other).

I don’t like to read a book that is all romance there must be some adventure too. I got the Love/Hate relationship on the quiz which didn’t really surprise though Forbidden Love is my favorite! 🙂 Fun post!

Quiz was 1000000% accurate. (These are scientific numbers. Please do not question them.) I got friendship and pretty much that’s it for me. I get all gooey over characters who have known each other a long time and really care for one another and, yes, I’ll even tolerate the dancing around they have to do before they finally kiss already, yeash. Other romances can be tolerable and even shippable for me, but this one takes the cake. (By the way. How dare you give me cake and order me not to eat it? Shame on you. I took your cake and ran.)

AHHH THAT IS SUCH A RELIEF I’M SO HAPPY. 😂 And omg of course those numbers are completely accurate. I absolutely don’t doubt it. Friendship romance though = <3 I love it how it's usually slow burn and they always have so much HISTORY. And history just wins for me. *nods*

I think love-hate relationships are actually really cute – they are definitely one of my favorite romances!

My other favorite romance that I know a lot of people aren’t fans of… the love triangle. I mean, as long as the author writes it well obviously. But The Selection… agh. So good. I like it when it isn’t obvious who they are going to pick. You kind of just have to sit with your fingers and arms and legs crossed that they’ll pick your favorite ;).

YES. As long as love triangles are well written, they can be glorious!! I don’t often read good ones though?? I tend to feel it’s too obvious which way the character will lean.😂 But I looove it when both sides are SO ADORABLE AND I CAN’T PICK. That’s good writing. :’)

I did your quiz and got “unrequited loveboat” and nope. It’s wrong. I mean, the whole unrequited love thing is cute . . . but my favorite is either the “hate-to-love” journey or the friendship one. They’re kind of tied. the denial one is cute too, though. Especially since it tends to intersect or flow from the “hate-to-love” one . . . it’s like, characters go “hate you” -> “don’t hate you; actually friends with you” -> “of course I’m not in love with you!” -> “hey. can we get married?” And it’s adorable.
I love your descriptions of these, BTW. Very nicely done.

OMG QUIZ FAIL AGAIN.😂 Honestly this quiz has not done so well, hehe, I BLAME THE DRAGONS. THEY MADE IT. THEY FAILED TODAY. Ahem. Hate/love and friendship are my favourites too. :’) I mean, they are so squishily adorable and I CANNOT GET ENOUGH.

before I take the quiz… 1 and 3 and 4 are definitely favorites. BLUE <3 (just needed to randomly yell her name. obviously.)

oki now to take the quiz.

CAIT YOU TELL ME TO PICK A DISNEY MOVIE AND DON'T INCLUDE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. this cruel. and bad. Cait, seriously. HOW COULD YOU NOT INCLUDE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. none of these are favorites compared to B&B.

I got ship of denial?? I DO like the whole denial thing, IF DONE WELL, but there are other types I like better, like the ones I mentioned above.

OH MY GOODNESS, CAIT. I have neglected you. I haven’t been on your blog in what seems like forever. I’m a bad human *runs and hides* Annnnnyyyyyway…. I absolutely adore this post, so much. I agree with you on everything.

I actually am fond of Love Triangles…more if they are done correctly, but it isn’t something I hate.

I saw you didn’t mind The Hunger Games triangle, who do you ship? I know Shannon and I posted about our love for Peeta & Katniss today, do you agree? 🙂

OMG I HAVEN’T BEEN ON YOUR BLOG FOREVER EITHER, ERICA. FORGIIIIIVE ME. *gives you cake to lure you back to my blog* Life gets so busy right? Bleh. ANYWAY. Love triangles, if done right, can totally be awesome. I mean, The Hunger Games is like one of my MOST favourites of ever. <333 Also Morpheus. Also I really like City of Bones.😂 Ahem. SO YES.

And omg of COURSE I love Peeta and Katniss! OF COURSE. THERE IS NO OTHER SHIP.

I am all about that Voyage of LOVE/HATE! I love when they argue and are mean and stuffy…cause then i’m like you two little adorable squishy’s are soooo gonna be in love and you’re going to bicker about it the whoooleee way with witty snide remarks! GAH! That’s what true love is right? Also..the FORBIDDEN love birds. I’m a sucker, when the SHOULDN’T they SO SHOULD!

Love triangles are annoying (unless done right, like for me in The Infernal Devices…perfection) and *Insta-Love is blllahhh! Who falls that hard that fast? TEENAGERS.

Forbidden romance is the best! And haters-to-lovers is great trope as well. Same goes for arranged marriages, I love to read of those because it usually has similar feels as haters-to-lovers romances.
And I simply hate “I cant decide because I love them both equally” trope. Love triangles are 99% out of 100% cases not for me.

Have I mentioned how much I enjoy the way you put together your TTT lists Cait? They’re always so much fun to read 🙂

Oh man, it seems that over the years I’ve grown very…irritated, to put it mildly, of love triangles. I partly blame Grey’s Anatomy for the endless love triangles and squares it kept on throwing in the characters’ way instead of maybe, you know, working through their issues together. So these days I’ll only accept love triangles in a story if the story naturally calls for it (dunno how to explain that but that’s how I feel) xD

LMAO I took the quiz and I’m dying at the “I see it. I ship it” gif 😀 Great list & fun quiz!

Omgggg thank you, Lianne!! I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH.😂 I mean, I really cheated on this week, hehe, but I do like to do things a bit differently and shake it up. Zomg, but yes I agree that love triangles are so rarely okay. I have read several I like??? But mostly it’s just angst and it’s WAY too obvious who the character will pick. D:

I MUST REMIND YOU OF GANSEY AND BLUE BECAUSE JUS THINK, AMANDA, IT COULD ALLLLLL BE OVER SO SO SOON. *prepares to die along with The Raven King* (Omg but I don’t think Gansey will die. I think Adam/Ronan will die for him and I shall never recover.)

Yay to your quiz!! I got forbidden romance… which I DO like…. like a lot!! I really don’t like the “we hate each other” one, esp. when it is SO obvious that they don’t actually hate each other at allllllllllll. And while not being the biggest fan of love triangles- The Hunger Games triangle TOTALLY worked. And turned out with the right pair, so YAY!!! BUT also NO to the obsessive Edward Cullen love thing. Just NO!! Awesome post!

THE HUNGER GAMES IS EVERYTHING THO. <3 I don't think Katniss even ever properly loved Gale...I think she was just confused and like suffering from PTSD and needed a friendly face and YEAH. PEETA FOREVER THOUGH. <3

FORBIDDEN LOVE HECK YES. It’s actually in my genetics to love forbidden love. Because my mom is from a nice Indian family and my dad is scandalously AMERICAN. OMG RIGHT. It was forbidden and my mom was shunned but then my older sister was born and everything was okay because BABIES. So basically, forbidden love is in my DNA. #logic
I AM AN AVID TEA HATER TOO AND I ALSO LOVE CHAI TEA. I am really picky about it too. Like, i don’t accept it from America. I have to go India and it must be made by a little old Indian lady in a little old Indian house on a little old Indian stove. I have very high standards.
Your quiz was spot on! Guess what I got! Guess! FORBIDDEN LOVE.
OMG. I SHOULD WRITE A BOOK ABOUT MY PARENTS. OMG OMG OMG OMG.

This post is the AWESOMEST. I love when there’s romance in books… but, they musn’t be over-the-top gooey nonsense. That makes me sick! My favourite types of romances are love/hate and friends becoming more. When I took your quiz, I got thee forbidden love. I DO like some forbidden love. It’s definitely slow-burning romance, unexpected love interests and awkwardly adorable couples that NEVER FAIL ME!

AHHH I’M SO GLAD YOU LIKED IT, ZARA!! *flails wildly* That makes my day😂 ahem. But yus, I’m with you on the exceptionally gooey ones — no thank you. I prefer it when romance is a sub-plot? When it takes over the book and steals glory from the action…I ain’t a happy reader.

I rather like the Ship of Denial. It’s extremely entertaining. AND NO MORE LOVE TRIANGLES. GOSH. I mean, I could stand The Hunger Games one because I’m convinced that Katniss confused friend-love for Gale for romantic love, but if I never read another love triangle again I’ll be very happy.

I agree with you on the Katniss/Gale matter. *nods* She was SO MESSED UP. She didn’t love him and I think he only “loved” her because he saw her as a possession. Grrrrr. PEETA FOREVER. <3 Also I so rarely find good love triangles anymore. I mostly just avoid them these days. Bleh. Except I DID read one the other day that was quite nice. :')

THESE ARE ALL SO GOOD. I don’t mind love triangles if they are written well, but I’m not a huge fan of instalove. I much prefer the love that starts out with them hating each other, or unrequited love (which I got on the quiz), or the love that starts as friendship. *nods* But books without romance will always make me an exceptionally happy clam. *nods* Tbh, I really did like the romance in Illuminae. And I ship characters a lot, but I’m not hugely emotionally invested either, if that makes any sense.

SAME. I think love triangles can actually be quite good if a) well written, and b) they’re not always obnoxiously fighting and in moods. I hate it when they’re all in moods when they should be focusing on, like, murdering people or whatnot.

I do so wish there were more books without romance. BECAUSE THEY’RE STILL ADORABLE AND WONDERFUL. <3

I’m going to bookmark this page because it has insanely good amount of recommendations! *nods* Sooo…. I’m kinda a hopeless romantic so yeeesh I loooove and adore romances! My favourite is definitely the forbidden love one and then comes enemies to frenemies and then to lovers (which is also known as the love/hate relationship). These two are my favourites but other than that I pretty much love all of them except love triangles!!! I hate them with a passion. I can even tolerate insta-love love but love triangles are a little too much for me!

AHHH THANK YOU!!! (Although, I mean, I don’t love ALL the books I’ve listed here. 😂 But I was too lazy to link to reviews and everything so you’ll just have to forgive me. eep.) FRENEMIES. <3 I cannot get enough of them, and honestly, most of my 5-star reads involve them. And if two people start hating each other in books these days, I just start shipping. I'm A SAD LITTLE BEAN.

I got pursuit on the quiz thing, and I do like a good pursuit romance 🙂

Great post! I think The Voyage of Love/Hate is my favorite though. It is so nice to see two characters who can’t stand each other slowly come to the realization that they have more in common than they thought.

My least favorite is love triangles. But it is more to the writing vs the love interest, really. I don’t mind when two sides love each other and the 3rd just wishes he could get the girl/guy but I don’t like the books where two sides love one, and the one side loves both, you start to hate one and of course he gets picked….. Makes me want to throw things…. hard! hehe

Alright, so of course I have to mentioned The Raven Boys, right?! I just love that they’re basically all dating each other no matter what anyone says. HOORAY FOR POLYAMOROUS RELATIONSHIPS!! Heheheeh. I apparently (crosses that out and replaces with “accurately”) enjoy forbidden love…. which… relevant? But also those hate/love relationships. And friends to lovers. OK, I AM NOT ONE TO ENJOY ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS THAT MUCH, WHERE IS ALL THIS COMING FROM?? But yes, I think those three would be my top favorites. 😁

AFJDLKSAD THEY ARE MY FAVOURITE THOUGH. Although I kind of just think they’re friendship? Which is why I love the series because there aren’t enough like actual FRIENDSHIP stories in the universe *nods sagely*.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo can go along with #3. I really only like romance if it is well written. I love any romance by Sarah J. Mass (She is my favorite). I would give up a whole hand for the next Sarah J. Mass book. Do you have any authors you love that vehemently?

Hah, I got the “Obsessive Submarine Pursuit” (which, I must admit, doesn’t quite match my style). I’m more of a slow-fall girl. I prefer it when two characters show some interest in each other, but start things off as friends. As a huge fan of the fantasy genre, I find it’s more realistic to develop a relationship slowly over a series of events (even books) with both characters involved in helping the other through trials…like fighting monsters/dragons or escaping an underground maze or fending off disease and sickness. It develops a history between the two and makes their relationship more believable.
That being said, I’m also a fan of dystopic literature. So, sad endings? things you don’t expect? MC dying in their lover’s arms? Ah yes, somehow I actually like reading about that sort of stuff because it makes me miserable. Not that I like being miserable; there’s just something about a dystopian world that reflects real life, where things don’t always go our way and bad stuff happens to good people (cue John Green and The Fault in Our Stars).
I don’t really know what my style of romance is, lol. I lean towards a representation of everyday life *shrugs* with real fights and dear lord, none of that ridiculously over-bearing mushiness!

OMG. QUIZ FAIL ON MY PART THEN.😂 Ahem. I think slow-burning romances are much better too *nods* and I think fantasy is the peeeerfect place for slow build ups. Because like they have to fight dragons and rule kingdoms between trying to fall in love, right?!?

I DO LIKE SAD TRAGIC ROMANCES TOO *nods* John Green obviously rules at this. Like has he even written a happily ending book yet?!?😂

I got “The Unrequited Row Boat of Love”. *lol* I think that’s a great choice. I feel so bad for that type of character and hope they get what they need in the end, even if it isn’t the person they were chasing after.

I don’t think I’d mind insta-love so much if it were, as you said, followed up by real relationship development, but I’ve never seen it done that way. Insta-love, for the most part, is absurd and I want to shake the characters!

It is kind of adorable….especially if it’s kind of a slow burn romance because they have to get the person to notice them and then fall in love. :’)
YUP THO I AGREE ON THE INSTA LOVE FRONT. It’s so rarely done “right” that I just basically … ugh to it.

Awesome idea writing a post and then putting a buzzfeed’s quiz afterit!! The quiz told me “THE UNREQUITED ROW BOAT OF LOVE” and after reading the description I can say that’s right! It describes me so well what did you get?

I took the quiz twice (because obviously) and got Denial and then Love to Hate, haha. I think Love to Hate and Friendship First are my favorites, but Denial can also be good if the characters aren’t too obnoxious about it. Basically I ship romances that don’t take over the plot and come with lots of witty banter. Especially witty banter. *swoons* I HATE Obsessive Submarine Pursuit romances (which is why I hate most paranormal romance), but I rather enjoy the title. 😀

YES. And love/hate is kind of denial anyway, now that I think about it.😂 (Clearly I was struggling with this one okay?! Romance is not my forte.) hehhe But I do like it when the romances are the subplot. I haaate it when a book promises action but just turns into a 100% romance. -_-

(I have yet to read a good obsessive submarine pursuit….unless Augustus Waters can be counted? Because he did pursue! But he wasn’t creepy.)

Ugh I can’t stand the Love Triangle/Square situation. That trope is the bane of my existence. Nothing good comes out of those situations and the only reason I tolerated it in the Hunger Games was because I knew Gale was never really an option when it came down to it.
I must say that I love the forbidden love, love/hate trope. The tension, sneaking around and everything in between is all sorts of swoonworthy.
Out of all the options here I must say the friends to lovers trope is all sorts of adorable (not when it comes to Gale though). The fact that they already have that solid foundation makes my heart all warm and fuzzy inside.

AGREED. And sometimes I don’t even think the Hunger Games was a proper triangle? Because like she never was really with Gale. THEY WERE FRIENDS. And maybe if she’d never even been reaped, she still wouldn’t have married him because IT’S OKAY That THEy werE JUST FRIENDS. (My little rant anyway. hah.😂) And I have read good triangles? But more often than not I cringe and run away screaming.
I do love the adorable romances. <33 Especially if it's equal parties being adorable and awkward. EEEEP.

I generally like romance but I hate when a book pretends to be something it’s not!! Like if I’m going in knowing there’s romance then I’m lovin it, but I’ve been disappointed a number of times expecting urban fantasy adventure and badassery or some paranormal creepiness, just to find out the book is overtaken by romance so I end up rolling my eyes for 300 pages waiting for some interesting plot. The main culprits of this for me are Shatter Me and Throne of Glass. I was expecting awesome-ness and just ended up being annoyed lmao

SAME. Or when the plot completely STOPS for the romance to happen? That drives me absolutely bonkers. And I hate it when a book promises adventure and we just get tons of make-out scenes. -_- So I’m so so sooo with you on this, Misha. I was pretty miffed with Shatter Me too actually.😂 But I went on to like the series?? But I had to have like a brain readjustment to realise it wasn’t going to be a super-power thing, but a romance thing.

I am definitely on the Unrequited Row Boat of Love! Absolutely loved this post Cait; it had me in stitches! I was definitely against love triangles- authors seems to always try and most sadly fail at loved triangles; they usually end up with the person you think they will anyway. I’d like to find a book where I’m shocked at who they choose!
Sarah x

EEEEP. I’M SO GLAD, SARAH. My job here is done. :’) And omg, yes, don’t love triangles fail so so much?! I don’t even know why…surely it’s not that hard to develop BOTH sides of the triangle right?! Grr.

Ahhhhh I love this. I took the quiz and it’s the ALL ABOARD THE H.M.S. FRIENDSHIP which is totally me. Although a little different? I like those romances where at first they’re not really close but then the story brings them together and they’re like okay we’re stuck together whatever we’ll be nice to each other for niceness’ sake and then they begin to notice little things that the other person does that is attractive and then they slowly begin to mutually realize that they’re liking each other more and more and it ends in a beautiful delightful couple. I DON’T LIKE MELODRAMA IN MY ROMANCES, OKAY? I just like nice, airy things like that, where it happens gradually and the two people aren’t totally obsessed with each other like OH MY WORD I’M DYING WITHOUT BEING WITH YOU and that type of thing.

And this was an awkward rant. But yes, this is my favorite type of romance. XD

OMG GOOD. *nods* Quiz win then. 😂 But I do like it when a story and plot and tragedy or adventure drives a couple together too. :’) And that whole “oh we’re stuck together” usually ends up SO AWESOMELY. I AM WITH YOU ON THIS ONE. :’)

I like the angsty ones, but not TOO angsty. Like I hate it when they break up to “protect each other” or something stupid and dramatic and untrue. Ugh. -_-

The quiz was pretty far off for me hahahah unrequited love makes me so squirmy, like GET TOGETHER ALREADY!!!! My very favorites are hate-to-love (give me all that delicious tension) (ANASTASIA AND DIMITRI!) (Princess of Thorns is sitting in my amazon cart, now I must buy it), and the H.M.S. friendship (the bessssttt) (Wattscroft! Annaaaaa). I guess I like Denial and Forbidden Romances (but not toooo Romeo and Julietty) too, never thought about it! And I do appreciate a good love shape. I also love books where characters are stuck together for A Reason, like a natural disaster or an ill-thought-out roadtrip. Always ends well (and shippy!). Oooh my other fave, which I guess is the anti-insta love and meshes with basically any of these types, is a slow burn romance. Sighhhhhhhh.

OMG QUIZ FAIL. I shall scowl at my dragons because they made it and clearly all fault is theirs. Not mine. Nope, of course not. AHEM.

But YUS to love/hate. Me too. :’) Princess of Thorns is my EVERYTHING. It seriously blew me away soooo much I just want to sob over it’s wonderfulness. I wish it was a series!! I COULDN’T GET ENOUGH OF THOSE CHARACTERS.

I love love triangles when they are well written. I love drama involving love basically. That’s why I love hate/love relationship and also forbidden love. I wouldn’t want them in real life because it’s messy, but in the book it’s juicy and I’m all about that love complications. Even if that means I’m going to be bold from all that hair tearing. I especially loooove love triangle from Splintered series and this time I wasn’t rooting for the main male character. Nope, Morpheus was my darling… when he said luv I was sold. Splintered and Morpheus are my weaknesses.
The only type of romance I’m not a fan of is insta-love but there are exceptions so it depends how good the story is.
As far as the quiz goes, it was awesome. The questions were amazing but I got Denial, which… is not completely off but it’s not my favourite. From time to time it’s good to have change and I love TFIOS so it’s good. 🙂

I got deeeniaaaal!!! But tbh I’m so for voyages of love/hate. I love them because of the whole denial thing they have going for them. Also, OH. I LOVE romantic road trips (but alas I don’t know many books about love road trips). I think road trips in general are awesome. Ah, wanderlust.

ROADTRIPS YES. <3 I wrote a roadtrip once and it was like the BEST to write (so much fun, particularly when evil is chasing you) and I think the world needs a zillion more roadtrip books. *nods sagely*

I got Insta-love on my first try and Love Triangle on my second, which I find extremely confusing. I don’t DESPISE either of those, if done right, but my favorite is bickering hatred to reluctant friends to romance. Other than that Cait excellent as always!

According to your quiz, my favourite romance is the unrequited row boat of love. And I have to say that depending on how the situation develops and the characters, these have produced some of my favourite romances but also some of the romances I have hated (the ones where all the MC does is endlessly pine over a character who may or may not return the feelings and it pisses me off).

Outside of the quiz, my favourite romances are the friendships that turn into more and the ones were the couple bicker a lot at the start but grow on each other. Forbidden romance also add a lot to the feels and tension.

Love triangles I don’t mind when they’re done really well, for example in The Infernal Devices were all three characters involved truly cared for one another and aren’t constantly fighting for the attentions of the character in the middle. In TID it was also really hard to figure out how the whole thing would resolve because the characters did all feel strong things for each other. But love triangles where there’s unnecessary angst because the main character keeps swinging back and forth, or the guys are massive dicks to each other just because they’re trying to prove how strong/masculine/awesome they are to the girl… I just can’t.

I don’t like instalove because most I read haven’t been done well and the characters become or sappy and gushy immediately. I hate sappy at the best of times unless i REALLY SHIP the couple or am in a rare mood for romance. 90% of the time it has me rolling my eyes and getting annoyed. I understand insta-attraction though. That’s a whole other thing.

BAHAH, OKAY QUIZ FAIL.😂 I blame the dragons (not me) because they made the quiz and clearly were slacking off and drunk on cake whilst they did so. *nods* (Actually like everyone is getting that answer?! That’s hilarious. Ahem.)

I’m agreeing with you on the triangle front! I did get frustrated though, in TID, because I thought Will and Jem were so EPIC and dynamic, and I really couldn’t see why Tessa was so awesome? (My bad.) I shipped Will and Magnus tbh. 😂 I kiiind of don’t like it when the girl gets BOTH, because it feels like cheating in a way? BUT WHATEVER. ahem. And I really hate the unnecessary triangles. Or the “oh it’s book 2 and nothing’s happening LET US TRIANGLE”. -_-

I’m not on the ship of instalove. I HATE INSTALOVE. I will, however, check out the books that do work instalove because my eyes hurt from constantly rolling my eyes at how sickly instalove is. I still can’t fathom that trope.
But the friendship growing eventually into romance makes me absolutely shriek with excitement. With relationships (in my opinion) that start off as friendship are a lot more adorable and more likely to stick. And angst to lovers, SIGN ME THE HELL UP. plus, the quiz said that I’m the captain of angst. (\-/)

Eh, yes, it is a weird trope. And as another commenter pointed out, “insta love” and “insta attraction” and “insta lust” are kind of all different anyway.😂 I’m very not into “insta lust” ugh.
fRIENDSHIP THOUGH. <3 I love it because I feel like the couple will stay together when I finish the book?! Which is a nice feeling. :')

Honestly, denial ships are kind of my favorite. Denial ships, and love/hate. I also love ships where the two characters were kind of forced into some sort of situation together and therefore fall in love by saving each other’s lives and etc.

I AM THE SHIP OF DENIAL. Which actually mostly bugs me? But that’s prob because I’ve only ever read books with crappy ships of denial…
This post is amazing, Cait- gargantuantly humorous and also immensely accurate.

The quiz says I’m a fan of FORBIDDEN LOVE… (?) Well… I guess, it’s right. I LOVE THE IRON FEY SERIES and it’s screaming FORBIDDEN LOVE in bold all caps red letters. I also like the love/hate relationship. or those who start with cold cold freezing cold relationship. I mean, usually there are guys who act so mean to their significant other in the very beginning, right right? I don’t know where that falls. lol.

I like almost all kinds of YA romance as long as they don’t get in the way of the plot, but I’m especially partial to the H.M.S. Friendship. SO MANY POSSIBILITIES! ALL OF THEM GOOD! Your quiz says that my favorite type of romance is the Unrequited Row Boat of Love (both times that I took it – I just COULDN’T choose between contemporary and fantasy when historical wasn’t an option), but I don’t know! I haven’t read too much of it! My favorite John Green book is Looking for Alaska, so maybe I should read more unrequited love books? Who knows, maybe I’ll discover that you’re completely right and I’ll owe all of my future favorite fictional couples to you and this quiz.

I can find no fault with your picking methods.😂😂 I LOVE CAKE. *ahem* (I know it’s hard to tell, but whatever.) And yeeeeah, I mean, it’s so so rare that I find a loveable triangle? SO I tend to hope they don’t come up.

THIS POST IS SO MUCH FUN. my shippy heart approves. i have so many favorite types of ships, but my least fave is probably the obsessive one. like, STALKER MUCH?? my favorite, according to the quiz, is the in denial one and i suppose you got that right considering i love 95% of all ships. MY HEART.

OMG GOOD AND THANK YOU. And yus, let’s just avoid the stalker one forever, yes please and thank you, YA books? I really can’t think of an obsessive one I’ve shipped.😂 And zomg I’m glad the quiz worked. SO GLAD. :’)

*nervous laughter* Long time, no comment… but I have been keeping up with of your ever amazing blog!

Ahem, moving on… I love your quizzes! They’re always so fun to take. I got The Unrequited Row Boat of Love. I can’t say it’s my favorite type of romance, but I do enjoy a good one from time to time. I don’t see it much in the books I usually read though. XD

Hmm… I have to say my favorites are the All Aboard the H..M.S. Friendship and Ship of Denial. I WILL FANGIRL UNTIL THE END OF MY DAYS ABOUT THESE TWO TYPES. (Or any ship to be completely honest here. XP)

I like the romance where two people are forced together and have to deal with it. But only if they are actually compatibly and do come round in the end. The in between bit where they keep pretending they don’t like each other, while simultaneously presenting a united front to the world. It’s amusing.

Okay, as much as I don’t like romance, I really SHIP some couples to no end. ESPECIALLY IF THEY HATE EACH OTHER FIRST OR IF THEY’RE FORBIDDEN OH MY. But insta-love and denial? Count me out.. Okay, I’m going to go take your fabulous quiz now ♥ DO MORE QUIZZES!!!

WHY ARE THE ONES THAT HATE EACH OTHER JUST SO DARN SHIPPABLE?!?! And I love that moment when they realise they don’t hate each other because they are lost little dumplings and unsure of how to love each other. <333 Omg.

My favorite ship is this quiz, actually. Except for that part where you don’t give me cake (confession: I chose crying.) The quiz told me Denial. And I mean, I DO like all the books that you’ve listed with denial. Sooo yeah. And I think you can totally fit Katniss into that bracket because she was in SUCH denial about her love with Peeta.

I also adore the Friends, Forbidden, and Love-to-Hate types. SO MUCH. Insta-love I do not like. Nope. And I am not a fan of unrequited love unless it ends with… requited love? Is that a thing? Because it reminds me too much of my own life, and I don’t like it! I also do NOT like obsessive, ever. No thank you. I can do a love triangle (or octagon or whatever) IF it is done well and makes sense in the story. But throwing some dude in just so our MC thinks she’s pretty? PASS.

I’m pretty sure Katniss fits into like a TON of these brackets. Triangle, denial, love hate (did she or did she not throw Peeta into a vase and bust his hands?). KATNISS. <3 Ahem.

I think requited love should be a thing. *nods* But I confess it usually annoys me so bad. Because I always feel the pining character is a bit pathetic and should just go after someone WHO WILL APPRECIATE THEM DANGIT.

I got THE UNREQUITED ROW BOAT OF LOVE, which I DO like sometimes. I mostly like friends to lovers or enemies to lovers. The former because like you said, it makes it seem like it will last. PLUS, I’d rather be friends with someone first then jump into dating. And the latter…enemies to lovers…the angst! the arguing! Often humorous!

I really like friendships and love/hate and Denial. I just read the Boy Most LIikely To and that romance was en pointe. Well the quiz said forbidden romance…but I’m so indecisive that half my answers were random anyway. I do like a good romance. If it’s good and sensible and all that.

I love romance in books but I don’t love romantic books. Yes Stephanie Perkins books is amazing and she wrote three of my favorite books. But I love more romance when it is a little part of a story. My favorite kind of romance is forbidden love story or hate/love. I love friendship to love kind of love story too. But sometimes I feel they should have more “we are only friends” in books. One of my bestfriend is a guy (we been friends since first year of high school) and I never been in love with him. So I which they had more of that in books. One of the things I hate most is love triangle. Only loved it once , thanks to Cassandra Clare in The Infernal Devices. Because in that series I was in looove with both boys.

(I do so love Stephanie Perkins’ books too. <3 ESPECIALLY LOLA AND CRICKET.) Ahem. But yus. Hate/love for the win I say. 😂 But it DOES confuse me why most friendships in stories turn into love. I mean, why can't people just stay friends, omg?
(I couldn't pick between Jem and Will either.xD)

I got Forbidden Love in your quiz. But to be honest , if there’s romance I will more than likely ship it. I don’t like OTT romantic books particularly (unless it’s different), but I do love a bit of romance in books.

So apparently I like the Ship of Denial? I don’t know. It’s probably one of my favourites. I guess I like smushy romance sometimes, but not in big doses, or as a sole driver of plot? I don’t know. I must be a confused peach. This is a wonderful quiz and well done for the courage to analyse romance 😀 (It’s hard, I know *pats back*)

Omg *glares at quiz* Clearly I put the dragons in charge and clearly they failed on this one. Not me. I am innocent and still yet perfect. And yuuuuus, I prefer when romance is a side-dish and there’s more going on than that. 😛

I love this post so so much! I agree with you – love triangles only work if they are written well. Sometimes, it just gets boring, right? But overall, all these types or romances are shippable, if written nicely. >:) Plus, my favourite is the love/hate relationships between the two because… isn’t that part of the fun? If they get along 200% of the time, where’s the excitement in that? But, obviously, they can’t argue all the time, or else I cry 😉

Agreed. *nods* And plus I think we’re all a bit overdone with the triangles?! But SOMETIMES THEY ARE GOOD. So I try not to be too grumpy at them. 😛 And totally agreed as well! If it’s good writing, anything can happen. ;D

I got “The Voyage of Love and Hate,” which nailed it – it’s really the only “type” of romance that I like, lol. And the Anastasia gif is PERFECTION (I love that movie!).
Basically, I’m not interested in a romance unless it involves sparring (physical or verbal). Otherwise I get bored and spend the book waiting for dragons or aliens or something to happen. Unless the characters are really annoying – and then I am just waiting for a dragon or an alien to eat them. Sadly, there is only one book I can think of where an annoying love interest got eaten by a dragon. It’s not that popular of a solution.

Anyhow, this post was funny 😛 And I love all the gifs and titles for the types of romances

ANATASIA FOREVER. <3 Ahem. But omg we are like TWINS in this then!! *flails* I do enjoy the banter though...I mean, love it. I always get confused when I read a couple falling in love and they’re not throwing spicy comebacks and having arguments at each other.😂

(Making things get eaten by dragons should be like more of a THING though. It is a grand problem solver.)

I’m 100% here for friendships that turn into more. YES PLEASE. It seems more realistic to me, and I feel way more confident that they’ll actually stick together and care about each other. (YA romances turn me off a lot of the time? They’re just so…unrealistic and cheesy.)

YUS. *nods* And I always feel like those ones are going to work out, like when I finish the book!? I hate finishing books and going “Well they’re going to break up 2 days later”😂 SO FRIENDSHIPS RULE. (The cheesiness of YA does happen, I won’t deny.😂)

For the quiz I got “I see it. I ship it.” And that’s pretty much true. xD I love love, love reading about love, love shipping love, and OMG LOVE. But yes, if my ship is also being destroyed I WILL GO DOWN WITH IT AND DEFEND IT.
But for real, I think if I look at all of my favorite relationships and how they work, I think I’m mostly drawn to the love/hate ones. I just. I can’t. IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL. Like, bro, I know you’re going to end up together, so stop playing.

Friendship, love/hate, and denial are probably my absolute faves! Your quiz pinned me with love/hate, so it appears you do still know how to make good quizzes. ;D I feel like all of the romances are pretty predictable, but there are some I just adore anyway!

I’m not a big fan of the obsessive submarines (creepy! stalkerish! go away!), and unrequited love and love triangles/various shapes have to be done right, otherwise nope.

Once Upon a Time has some great and not-so-great triangles. (I just finished season 2, so no spoilers, please, to anyone who’s further along!) [POTENTIAL SPOILERS] I hated the David/Mary Margaret/Katherine thing, because how dare the writers of the show make me want to cheer for adultery?? But I’m reeeally torn over Emma/Hook/Neal right now, which is excellent. [SPOILERS OVER]

Anyway, the couples in books who start off with a lot of snarky friction between them OR start off being best friends are just LASKFJASJF. I LOVE IT. Great post, Cait! ^___^

OMG QUIZ SUCCESS!! *tosses confetti over self* And I guess once you’ve read a lot of these kind of “tropes” they do seem predictable? But I mean, what can we do.😂

I haven’t watched OUaT yet. WHHH. I’m so behind on like all the things at the moment. (So behind I haven’t even started.) But I agree that there can be “good” love-triangles!! Although I get confused why it’s called a love triangle since triangles connect, but usually the two dudes (or girls) chasing the one person HATE EACH OTHER.😂

I love hate/love romance. The frustration of getting to the point and me wanting to put them together in a room “to deal with their hormones” makes it all the more fun to read. They usually have great fighting/bickering scenes or their povs make me snort. The quiz gave me “the forbidden love” result. Meh. I don’t know. It’s probably because I’ve chosen Pocahontas. But I like Pocahontas. Just not John Smith. HAHA. But yeah…no. The result is not matching the romance I enjoy the most :p

I can’t deal with instalove. Each book I read where the mc falls in love in the first chapter makes me want to throw it against a wall, set fire to it, throw water over it and then reuse it to heat up my house. Then the ashes will be thrown into a bin along with rotten food. URGH. NO NO NO NO. *shudders* One can be attracted to someone but immediately go “I will die for you” within two seconds of knowing each other? YEAH RIGHT MORON. HE WON’T DIE FOR YOU. HE DOESN’T CARE. Unless you’re flashing your boobs. That, and sex. Otherwise, he won’t look up twice. Deal with it.

I used to love #3 and hate #5. But then I realized/discovered a lot of IRL people/relationships have issues because they’re expecting #3 instead of any other type of love, so they miss out on something great because they don’t think there’s enough passion. Sometimes passion/intensity is overrated — and a lot of times it doesn’t actually last!

Aaaand #5 was the bane of my existence and my #1 hated thing in books. But then I met my girlfriend. And we were in love in under a month. We’re already talking marriage. I’m beginning to rethink my definition of insta-love and my opinions on its level of realistic… ness.

Agreed! *nods* Plus I think friendship is the best base for any sort of relationship. Friendship and, like, consistency. BUT I HAVE NO SIGNIFICANT OTHER (except my bookshelf) SO I CAN’T REALLY TALK HERE.😂

I got Unrequited Row Boat of Love. Which I wasn’t really sure of, but then I thought about it, and I’m always the one sitting reading/watching going “awww I’ll date you! you deserve better!” So yeah I guess you must be right. As usual.

OH MY GOSH YOU ARE A QUIZ GENIUS YOU GOT ME 100%. I got the love hate one and that is probably the only type of romance that I will ship. or at least the only one I care about. My very fav. story that I’m “writing” (torture characters in my mind when I’m bored and never bother to figure out a plot) has this relationship and i LURVE IT! if you know any other books with this relation ship, please tell me!

Sorry I kinda disappeared on you! I wanna get back into your posts, though because they all look really good and then a new one comes out and I think I’m too late. Anyway. I like queer stuff! So anything on the LGBT+ romance. Straight bores me usually. Yes SIMON AND BLUE. Why do you think they’re forbidden, though? Just curious. Is it because they’re gay or?

OMG HELLO WESAUN! *waves wildly and greets you with cake* No apologies ever needed here. 😉 I don’t think I’ve even been to your blog in a while so sHAME ON ME. Ahem.

Oh, I stuck Simon and Blue in “forbidden” because Blue didn’t want to meet! So it was “forbidden” in a way that something was coming between them. (Ergo Blue’s shyness, and their craving of anonymity.) Hope that makes sense?

Hmmm…. I must reconsider my quiz answers because I got instalove and that’s my LEAST favorite. My most favorite is of course the “thin line between love and hate” kind of thing. Nonetheless, this is a very fun post. And why IS romance in YA such a must? I know, my blog is named for romance and all, but (shhh…) I’m really quite fine with books without romance. And better no romance than a bad one…Jen @ YA Romantics

Omg quiz fail for me. 😂😂 I did have an enormous fight with that quiz though, so I’m not altogether surprised. AHEM. Aww, but thank you! I’m glad it was fun. 😉 And I have no idea why romance is so prevalent…I mean, it’s not even in every adult book. I guess the publishers think teens only think about romance??? >_<

Personally, I love romance in my books! I can’t stand instalove, but I have yet to come across a situation where it worked well. Love triangles? I can handle a little better.
Oh my gosh the SUBMARINE romance? I love that you added that! 😂
My favourite type of romance is the hate/love type of romance. EEK I love it.
Such a great post, Cait!

I’m like really cautious if I see a love triangle coming?? Just because I think they’re so rarely done well and YA is a bit flooded with them. BUT SOMETIMES THEY’RE GOOD SO I TRY NOT TO JUDGE TOO MUCH.
hehe, I’m glad you appreciated my submarine. 😂
LOVE/HATE FTW I SAY.

YOUR QUIZ WAS AMAZING (both the questions and the result) and ALL THE TYPES OF ROMANCE. I hate instalove and love polygons so much, especially love polygons. IT IS TOO COMPLICATED FOR MY POOR SOUL TO HANDLE. And instalove can be cute and good if it’s written well (like you said), but so often it isn’t done well and I just want to cringe. Forbidden and love/hate love are my absolute favorites. Although, strangely enough, when forbidden love + love polygons are combined, I almost always hate the forbidden love interest (ex. Ky from the Matched Trilogy, Will from the Firelight Trilogy by Sophie Jordan, Aspen from The Selection by Kiera Cass, etc.) Overall, this was a fantabulous post, Cait!

Yes to number 1, 3, and 4! best friend turned lovers are the best, since they know each other so well, that they’re ready to be together. It’s adorable when they realize they love each other<3 Forbidden and love/hate also adorable, but for an entirely different reasons which is the angst! Also, love/hate relationship tends to have hilarious banter, and they're super fun to read! Amazing post as always Cait!<3

Gaaaahhhhh I got Love dodecahedrons!!!! And that is the ship that I ABSOLUTELY HATE (or maybe not haha) but it irritates the shit out of me when I read about love triangles.. ugh puck one already!

Anyway, my favorite ship would have to be the reunited lovers.. e.g. they broke up then meet a few years later love.. I love it! I mean, they broke up over something stuuuuupid so they get to have a second chance! And usually, this ship usually involves forbidden love, too!!!

OMG I’M SORRY. 😂😂 I shall blame the quiz. NOT ME OF COURSE. My dragon secretaries are obviously to blame here. AHEM. But love triangles basically send me batty too. I so rarely even find a good one?!? And I think YA is pretty flooded out with them right now.

LOL Cait! According to your little quiz, I ship the Forbidden Lovers… That’s quite interesting, because I can’t think of a single book I’ve loved where there was something forbidden about the romantic couple…
And I agree about love triangles, if they are well done, I’m OK with them, but more often than not, they seem to have just been thrown into the mix to create drama and ‘make’ things interesting *runs for the hills*!!
I think my favorite series with a love triangle is Shatter Me, because I thought that was one of the things that allowed Juliet to grow. Plus, I <3 bad boys 😀

AHHH FAIL OF THE QUIZ. 😂 *glares at quiz* Ahem. But yes, Triangles are sooo hard to get right. Particularly since we’re kind of all flooded and drowned with them, right?! Shatter Me kind of confused me because I LOVED the ultimate ship, but I felt like Adam had like a personality pendulum swing?? And it was confusing. o.O

I got “The Forbidden Love Birds”, which is strange because that’s not really my favourite type of romance. But I had to fudge a couple of answers (like the John Green one; I’ve only read one of his books, and it turned me off of reading any more). And how can you have a bookish romance quiz about Disney movies without Tangled? That movie checks off at least three of these romance types. Plus, the girl is an avid re-reader. 🙂

I like slow-burn romances, so the friends-first type of dynamic works for me. Or the love/hate dynamic. Or the denial one. My least favourite is probably insta-love, because it’s rarely ever about love. It’s insta-lust, and the characters (and sometimes even the author, it seems) mistake that for love. I’m not denying there’s such a thing as instant attraction. But instant love? Love is based on more and takes time to develop. So, like you said, the “instant” sort of relationship needs to be done right.

Love triangles (or squares or whatever) usually don’t work for me, but not because they’re not done well. Most of the time I just end up shipping the wrong couple. That’s super annoying and makes me feel like I’m weird for wanting that particular couple to get together (and then I go on Goodreads and realize that maybe it’s the author who’s the weird one, since most readers are shipping the “wrong” couple)!

Ooh, I knew the John Green question would ruffle feathers. ;D I COULDN’T HELP IT THO. I LOVE JOHN GREEN. 😂 Ahem. But I’m not surprised the quiz flunked a bit, tbh…I just forgot how I’d made quizzes in the past. AGHHH EPIC FAIL CAIT. Ahem.

bUt yes! Slow burn = best. And insta love definitely is the worst for me too. Particularly (and you’re like 100% right here) it’s not even love. IT’S NEVER LURVE ERGH. I only called it “insta-love” but encompassed attraction too, because I read this really adorable book once where, seriously on the first page the boy was like “i love her with every fibre of my being”, but then he went on to actual develop a friendship and then romance and it was fajdkls perfect. So THAT’S how insta-love should be done. (Or just skipped altogether…because that works too. Ahem.)

I got love triangles *cries* well ok, sometimeeeessss I do like them but my favorite is love/hate 😀 love the banterrrrrrrrrr. But still, I am a shipper, I am in LOVE with LOVE but I still want more YA without love :O more friendships and such :D. LOVELY quuizzzzzzzzzzz.
Haveeeee aaaaaa goooooooood daaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy aaaannnnnnd eaaaaaat someeeeee caaaaaakkkkkeeeeeee!

I am quite the opposite, I live for the romance in young adult books, and the ships. As long as they don’t give me books where there is a very murky plot that is vaguely overshadowed by the romance, I’m a happy girl. Also there are books that have dragons and romance and taking over the world pfft. And my feelings on the types of romance are pretty similar, I adore friends becoming more? and the love/hate trope because intense stuff. I’m wary of love triangles as well, but sometimes they suck me in because one character is just morally grey and all kinds of delicious reading. Thanks for the fun post Cait !

I got the Voyage of Love and Hate, which is pretty accurate. It’s the best! There’s so much conflict. Plus, it usually calls for a lot of sass and snarky comments which is the only way to dialogue. So yes. ALL THE LOVE/HATE SHIPPY THINGS! Though I do like the friendship ones, as well as The Denial (that Nemo gif; I burst out laughing).

I took the quiz and got “THE VOYAGE OF LOVE AND HATE” Ooooh, yes. This is rather accurate. While sometimes this can be annoying, I also kind of love this. Because it’s amusing to watch my precious babies sass each other, hate each other, but are secretly head over heels in love with each other. There is much cackling while I read (oh, who am I kidding, or WRITE) this, It’s fabulous.

I REALLY REALLY REALLY GO WILD OVER THE FRIENDSHIP TYPES OF ROMANCE! I like to see each character develop and be their own person AND THEN FALL IN LOVE FOR WHO THEY ARE AND I LOVE THIS BECAUSE /I HAD THE CHANCE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THEM INDIVIDUALLY/! I also the unrequited love, which was my quiz result! 🙂 I kind of feel like Nikolai and Alina, my Grisha Ship ♥♥, was unrequited. He was all “Hey, let’s get married. No pressure but uuhh i’ll totally marry you. I kind of adore you. I know you’re in love with someone else but if that ever changes HELLO I’M RIGHT HERE WAITING!” AND I FRIGGIN LOVED IT! I loved NIKOLAI and as;ldkfja;lsdjf i just really need more of him *sobs*
anyways the kind of romance i hate is the ones where they are insta-sexualized. It’s like, I get insta-love. It can be done right. There’ve been people where I meet them and I’m instantly attracted which can be mistaken for insta-love. So when I see that in a book, I get it and it’s fine. BUT I CANNOT STAND INSTA SEXUALIZED ROMANCES. I’m seeing this pan out BIG time in Passenger. Nicholas and what’s her butt meet, and they’re like *GASP* “I have the sudden and irresistible urge to bang you and call it love but mostly i just want to skiddly bop bop dawoop”. UGH! JUST NO! THAT ISN’T LOVE! Your soul isn’t forever bound to that person no matter how many times you brush your finger tips against their arm JUST STOP IT OKAY??? AT THIS POINT YOU’RE NOT WRITING A LOVE STORY YOU’RE JUST WRITING SMUT!
I HAVE A LOT OF ANGER BUILT UP TOWARDS INSTA-SEXUALIZED ROMANCE! *stomps off*
But great post xD this is a wonderful Valentines post, and I think you set it up marvelously. LOVED THE QUIZ!

OMGGGG YOUA RE A NIKOLAI AND ALINA SHIPPER?!? EMBRACE ME, SJ, YOU MARVELLOUS CREATURE. I will forever cry over the tragedy that is that ship. Forever, I tell you. FOREEEEVER. (I actually hated the last book because of Mal?!? #mybad) Nikolai could have an entire, like, 20 book series and I would be so so onboard with that. AHEM. HE DESERVES BETTER THAN ALINA ANYWAY HUZZAH.

And yes, I think insta-attraction is pretty different to insta-love really? I mean, you see a person and go “ooh I like that person” and then proceed to get to know them. Instead of the creepy-paranormal-boy thing of “LEMME STALK YOU UNTIL YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH ME BACK”. Ugh. *shudders*

Aww, thank you though. :’) I had so much trouble with this quiz so I’m glad it didn’t turn out hopelessly. 😂

Jackie and I just posed our favourite and not so favourite romance tropes, haha.
The voyage of love/hate is definitely my favourite! I just love all the friction and tension and when they finally realize they like each other it’s usually hilarious denial, but there’s no stopping love! Oh the friendship one is pretty good too, though it can be frustrating when all you want them to do is kisssh.

Friction and tensions is soooo much fun. :’) AHEM. And love/hate sort of is the ship of denial too a bit? Except they’re so adamant and mean to each other BUT STILL IN LOVE AND AFKDJSALD *aggressively ships them*

My favourite is a combination of ‘The Ship of Denial’ and friends before love. I know from your Goodreads updates that you didn’t like it but my OTP has been Romione since before I even knew what an OTP was – to me they are like the perrrrrfect combination of this.
I HATE LOVE TRIANGLES. I HATE INSTALOVE. I HATE CREEPY STALKER PARANORMAL PEOPLE. GRRR

I took the quiz and got….Forbidden Romance! LOL It’s funny because, while I do enjoy those, they’re not my favorite…. Unless we *are* talking Bluesey and then IT’S MY ALL TIME FAVORITE EVER EVER EVER. My favorites on this list are 1 and 3. Friendships and love-hate are THE BOMB. My own parents hated each other’s guts so much for 3 full days before they were forced to spend an entire day together alone and then they talked for 24 hours straight and my dad proposed literally 7 days after they met. So. I have a fondness. And friendships to love are the most comfortable and easy to relate to, for me at least, because all the guys I’ve ever liked with an actual “hey I’d go out with this guy and actually date him and pursue a relationship” were all friends before. I got to know them and fell hopelessly….in like. Of course. 😉

Omg quiz FAIL THEN. *glares at quiz* Obviously it’s because my dragons made it (NOT ME) and they clearly messed up today. Or unless my dragons realised that Blusey (OMG I HADN’T HEARTD THAT SHIP NAME TILL NOW <333) is clearly the best ship of ever and was channelling that. #legit

Ooh, my fave type of post. I looooove YA C. I would’ve never thought ANNA qualified as forbidden love, but I guess so. lolll. Those kids were something. You are so the queen of trope names, haha. The instant romantic soup probably made my life, and omg Bone Gap is unrequited love??? I is getting nervoussss.

According to your quiz, my favourite is The Unrequited Row Boat of Love. It’s not wrong, but it depends. I’m not so into the chase and chase and chase. I love the tragedy of it all. Like Eponine in Les Misérables! Or the little mermaid in the original Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale. OH THE PAIN! It’s wonderful!

But to be honest, I’m quite happy with most of the types of love you’ve listed here! I love romance! I just don’t like insta-love. I don’t believe, it doesn’t have any natural romantic development in my opinion, and I can’t get emotionally involved in something I don’t see happen! But otherwise, give me all the romance! 🙂

This post is so much fun Cait! I love best friend romances the most and also the one where they don’t know they like each other (omg Carry on feels). But yeah, the one that irritates me is insta-love and obviously the creepy stalker guys. Great post as always Cait!